Chapter Thirty-one

Love

I was the one who kept delaying our wedding. When I went back to med school sabi ko konti nalang naman at matatapos ko na. Pumayag naman si Aaron. Like he's told me we'll do it my own pace and he could wait. He also supported me.

"Congratulations!" He was there when I finally finished med school. He gave me a gift. And it was a stethoscope!

My eyes widened a fraction. And then I even jumped to hug him. Aaron just chuckled and caught me in his arms. He hugged me back. "Thank you, Aaron! I love you!"

He chuckled. "I love you. I and our daughter are proud of you."

I smiled contentedly inside his arms and warm embrace. I closed my eyes to feel his warmth more. The feeling and comfortable warmth of the person I love.

Everything was just going well between us... Or that's what I thought.

"Aaron...please answer." I kept on calling his phone. Nag-r-ring naman but he's not answering.

I'm worried. Nakauwi na ako sa bahay galing hospital kung saan kami kanina lang nagkasagutan ni Aaron. I thought he went home here since dito naman na talaga siya umuuwi dahil nandito kami ng anak namin. Inisip kong kahit nag-away pa kami uuwi pa rin siya dito because Bella's here.

I just...want to talk to him...

I gave up. Nakaraming tawag na rin ako sa kaniya hanggang sa namatay na lang siguro ang phone niya...

Where is he now? Nag-aalala ako dahil wala rin daw siya sa bahay nina Tito Axel nang tumawag ako doon kanina at si Tita Eris pa ang sumagot. Nag-aalala na rin ang pamilya ni Aaron. He's not answering our calls. Iniisip na rin siguro nina tita at tito na nag-away kami...

Please be safe, Aaron.

Hanapin ko kaya siya sa bar? Lumabas ba siya at nag-clubbing? Umiinom ba siya ngayon... Damn it, Aaron! Please stop making me worry...

"Pero hindi po siya nakauwi rito kanina?" I even asked Bella's nanny.

Umiling naman ito. "Hindi po, Ma'am. Kapag naman umuuwi si Sir pinupuntahan niya agad si Bella..."

I nodded. And then my eyes turned to my daughter. I placed her on my bed just beside me and I let her play with a toy in her little hands.

I felt sad. At lalo lang akong nalungkot nang magsalita si Bella. She's almost 2 years old now. Noong 1-year-old siya her first words were 'Da-da' and then 'Am-my'. Naalala kong tuwang-tuwa noon si Aaron...

"Mam-myy... Dada?"

Lalo akong nalungkot at naramdaman ang agad na pamumuo ng luha sa mga mata ko. My daughter's already looking for her dad. Sanay kasi si Bella na kapag ganitong oras ay nasa bahay na at kasama na niya si Aaron. Ako nga minsan ang wala rito dahil my duty sa hospital.

I brought my daughter to my chest and hugged her. "Daddy's not answering Mommy's calls, sweetheart..." I whispered to her.

She looked up to me. Her forehead was creasing. "Dada?"

And I can't take it anymore. I cried while my daughter was in my arms and she was watching me. Out of my worries and frustrations. At sa nanlalabo kong mga mata dahil sa luha, I saw Bella's eyes shined in tears. Namuo rin ang luha sa mga mata ng anak ko and she started crying with me...

Her cry was loud, at napahagulgol na rin ako. Ang nanny na siyang kasama namin sa kwarto ay naiyak na rin sa pag-iyak naming mag-ina.

Bumukas ang pintuan ng kwarto ko ang Daddy got inside. He took Bella from me. Inalo ni Dad ang apo niya dahil hindi ko magawa iyon... "What's happening, Tristeen?" Seryosong tanong sa akin ni Daddy. He was worried seeing Bella cry, too.

"Aaron's not home yet, Dad." Suminghot ako.

Umigting ang panga ni Daddy.

Sumunod na pumasok sa kwarto ko si Mommy at si Lance. "Tristeen... Bella..." naunang lumapit si Mommy sa anak ko para patahanin muna ito. Kinuha naman niya ngayon si Bella mula kay Daddy. Bella stopped crying but she was still hiccuping from crying in Mommy's arms now. My daughter hugged Mommy's neck ang she buried her face on Mommy's shoulder.

"Ano ba'ng nangyayari, Tristeen? Bakit umiiyak si Bella?"

Pagod akong umiling. May luha pa rin sa mga mata at pisngi ko. "She's looking for Aaron, Mom. Hindi pa rin po sinasagot ni Aaron ang tawag ko..." I was exhausted from working at our hospital plus this happened.

"Ano'ng sabi nina Eris? Tumawag ka na rin ba sa kanila?"

I nodded. "Wala din daw po doon... Hindi pa siya nakakauwi... His family also tried calling him pero ganoon din at hindi niya kami sinasagot..."

Natahimik kami ng pamilya ko. Bella's nanny excused herself to take care of Bella's needs. Nabasa na ang damit ng anak ko dahil pinagpawisan sa pag-iyak kanina. Kaya bibihisan siya. Mabuti at tuluyan na ring tumahan si Bella. My brother got Bella's water and made my daughter drink from it.

Buhat pa rin ni mommy si Bella and Dad was gently rubbing his granddaughter's back.

And while my family were busy with my child, my phone rang from Aaron's call! Agad ko itong sinagot. "Aaron! Where are you? Why aren't you home yet?"

Walang may nagsalita sa kabilang linya.

Napasuklay ako sa buhok ko gamit ang kamay at mga daliri ko. "Aaron, please... Nasaan ka ba? Bakit hindi ka pa umuuwi? Nag-aalala na ako sa 'yo. Si Bella, she's crying. She's looking for you!"

"Bella..." Aaron spoke from the other line.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Nakatayo na ako sa tabi ng kama ko at pabalik-balik ang lakad ko. Nakatingin lang din sa akin at nanghihintay sina Mommy. "Yes, Aaron! Bella, our daughter. She just cried kanina... She's looking for you! Please, umuwi ka na. Mag-usap tayo. Umuwi ka na, Aaron. For our daughter... Please..."

Pagkatapos ng tawag na iyon umabot ng kalahating oras pa ang paghihintay namin sa bahay at nakauwi na rin si Aaron!

"Where have you been?" Salubong ko sa kaniya.

"Where's Bella?"

"She's sleeping in her baby room now..."

Dumeretso si Aaron sa bathroom. Sumunod naman ako sa loob. Naghuhubad na siya ng mga damit niya. He looked like he really did had some alcoholic drinks somewhere... But not too drunk not to be able to think still and come home tonight.

Hinayaan ko na lang muna siya na makaligo. After cleaning his body he got out of the bathroom and changed into his pajamas.

Nilampasan niya lang ako na naghihintay sa kaniya. Dumeretso siya sa pintuan na nagkokonekta sa kwarto ko sa kwarto ni Bella. Napatayo rin ang nanny na nandoon nang makita niya kami ni Aaron na pumasok.

"Kami na po muna ang bahala rito. Ipapatawag ka na lang po... Thank you."

The nanny nodded and leave us.

"Aaron..."

Kinuha niya si Bella sa kama nito at maingat at marahang dinala sa dibdib niya para yakapan. I bit my lip and just watched them.

"I'm sorry... Daddy's here now." Aaron whispered to our sleeping daughter in his arms.

Mukha siyang natauhan siguro nang maisip niya rin si Bella. Kaagad na siyang umuwi dito sa amin.

Nang ibalik na niya si Bella sa kama ay unti-unti pa akong lumapit sa kanila. Aaron watched our daughter sleep and did not take his eyes off her.

"Aaron..." I gently called.

He slowly turned his gaze to me.

I sighed. "I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry, too..." he said.

"Where have you been? I was worried... And Bella was looking for her Dada." I told him.

He nodded. "I'm sorry. I was just out alone for a while..."

"Uminom ka?"

"Not that much."

"Aaron..." Unti-unti pa akong lumapit sa kaniya at niyakap ko siya. "I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..." I hugged him.

I did not feel his arms around me. Bumitiw na ako sa yakap ko sa kaniya. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa mukha niya. He doesn't look angry anymore... "I'm sorry..." ulit ko at kinuha ko ang kamay niya para hawakan at dalhin sa mga labi ko para mahagkan. "I'm sorry, Aaron..."

He was just looking at me. Until he returned my touch and he held my cheek. Pinakatitigan niya ang mukha ko nang ilang sandali.

I tiptoed to reach his lips... And then I kissed him. I said I'm sorry to him again and then I kissed him more...

Gumanti rin si Aaron sa halik ko sa kaniya... I wrapped my arms around his nape as we kissed.

Bella was sleeping on her bed. May mga unan din na nakapalibot sa kaniya to prevent her from falling on the floor...

Umatras ako sa pintuan na nagkokonekta sa dalawang mga kwarto. I lead Aaron to my bed. Hindi ko na siya pinakawalan and I immediately wrapped my legs too around his hips when we were already down on my bed...

I feel like I wanted to make love to him so badly.

"Aaron..." I started moaning his name.

I urged him to remove his shirt. And then his hands, like it had a mind of its own, reached for my clothes to remove it from my body, too...

Until I was already naked and with just my panties left under his heated body. Kinapa ko si Aaron sa sweatpants na suot pa niya. Nagkatinginan kami habang nasa ibabaw ko siya. Umiinit na rin ang tingin niya sa akin. Pinasok ko ang kamay ko sa loob ng sweatpants niya. He was already hard and big. And then I immediately started stroking his length...

We resumed kissing. And this time it was deeper and deeper...

He quickly moved —mabilisan niyang hinubad ang sweatpants niya kasama na ang kaniyang underwear. And then halos madala pa ang katawan ko nang nagmamadali rin niyang hinubad ang underwear ko. And then he was fast to feel my wetness... He grabbed my breast with one hand.

I moaned a little too loud and got excited to his touch. "Aaron... Hmm—ah!"

He gave my two mounds equal attention. He lightly bit my hardened nipples and sucked on it hungrily. I can really feel my beasts being sucked hard while the other was gripped and massaged well by his other hand. He did it alternately to make sure he's giving my pair of breasts equal attention.

Parang gusto kong isara ang mga hita ko o ipitin dahil sa nararamdaman... I was already too aroused. Pero hindi ko rin masara ang mga binti ko because Aaron was in between them.

"Aaron, please..."

He kissed my lips once more that shut me up. And while still kissing my lips he started moving and entered starting with a few slow thrust...until he pushed a little harder, and harder... And started going in and out that made a clapping sound because he was already going faster and faster that made me crazy...